The Need to Be Needed
by Kuruk
Summary: It's simple to her: Doctors marry their nurses and librarians stay cooped up in their libraries. Simple, right? Sometimes, librarians couldn't be more wrong...


Hidey-ho all! It's Kuruk!

This is my first oneshot, so be gentle. A Mary x Tim fic, which I think, besides Gray of course, is the best pairing for the timid librarian.

It's fluffy, it's nice, and somewhat angsty at the beginning... Hang on for the fluff, although minimal at the end!

Enjoy!

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_**The Need to Be Needed**_

The first time that he walked out of the rain and into her library was many years ago… on the first day that she had opened it.

It had been a Wednesday; his day off. He had greeted her with a polite nod and a smile then he had coolly asked her where it was that she kept her tomes on medicine.

She had squeaked that she kept them on the second floor and he smiled at her in thanks. Minutes later he returned; bearing large tomes that her grandfather had bought long ago to learn more about natural cures.

She told him that he could sit at the table and read them there, but he had refused, saying that it was better for him to read them back at the Clinic.

And so it was that he walked out of her library and back into the rain, and she was left alone again; alone with only the muted voices of the tomes that lined her walls; dying to be heard… just as she was.

Mary often thought back on that day; the first day that Tim had walked into her library. Now he came every week on Wednesdays, and each time he did her heart fluttered and her voice lowered to the same nervous squeak…

And he never gave her a second glance…

Yes, Tim would smile at her and share his ideas for new medicines, give her a kind word or two politely…

But all he saw her as was just as she was; Mary; shy, quiet, mousy, bashful Mary.

Mary the librarian.

Mary the loner.

Mary the loveless…

And when she thought of it she wished with all her heart that somehow; someway, something would happen that would make him see her differently; see her as Mary; intelligent, passionate, articulate, kind Mary.

And yet he never did.

Two years passed; the most miserable two years of Mary's life. Whenever she thought of him she indulged herself with a fantasy; with a 'once upon a time…' beginning and a 'and they lived happily ever after…' ending.

But each time she did there was a nagging voice that echoed in her mind; robbing her of the solace of her fantasies and bringing her back to reality; where she was no princess, no damsel in distress that he saved and fell in love with; no heroine that he could not help but fall for…

But he _was _those things…

He was a gentleman, a scholar, a hero that saved lives everyday, someone that _made a difference…_

And what was she?

She was a librarian. She made no impact, no difference.

She was just Mary.

And yet she continued with those fantasies, wishing and hoping that somehow he would see her differently, that one day he would waltz into the library and sweep her off her feet.

And each day that she nursed a fantasy to life she would fall deeper into the depths of depression, because she didn't want him… she _needed _him.

She needed him to hold her, to tell her that it would be okay.

She needed him to sit with her, to talk with her and to just _look _at her.

She needed him to come to her with his troubles, to tell her of his day's hardships.

She needed him to acknowledge her existence…

_She needed to be needed._

* * *

It was the Starry Night Festival.

All around her, love bloomed into beautiful flowers, true or not.

Her beautiful blonde neighbor had her best friend and yet so much more to keep her company; the town sweetheart, the beautiful pink-haired girl had the hardworking brown-haired farmer; the fiery-haired tomboy had the shy wanderer that had stayed in the town for her…

And _he_… he had the kind, loving, dedicated brunette that was always at his side.

And _she_… she had no one.

No one but her books that yearned to be heard.

"I'm concerned about her, Basil!" she'd heard her mother whisper sharply that morning over breakfast, "The girl spends her youth cooped up inside that musty old library! When will she ever find someone!? At this rate she'll die an old spinster!"

She'd heard her father sigh in exasperation. "Mary's… _different_, Anna… She's not like you; she doesn't have your confidence… she's shy, coy…"

Her mother had sighed in resignation. "You're right, Basil… Perhaps she's not made for love…" she could imagine her mother's sad look on her face, "I guess we can forget the idea of grandchildren, huh?"

Mary had raced back up the stairs and cried into her pillow.

Her parents didn't see _her_ either… they saw what everyone else saw; what everyone else hated about her.

She'd managed to slip out of the house and into the library unnoticed when they had gone off to Mother's Hill for a 'romantic hike', something Mary yearned to do with her beloved as well…

And so it was that Mary had spent the day barricaded in her sanctuary; reading her books; giving them the voice they needed to be heard.

Finally, after finishing the novel she had chosen to read that day about a charming man that had pursued a beautiful maiden, Mary left her library and entered the night.

There was a light breeze; one that smelled of delicious foods and treats. Laughter from the Supermarket could be heard; no doubt Karen, Rick, Sasha and Jeff making the most out of the festival.

She had not noticed how late it had gotten. Checking her watch she saw that it was eight thirty. She should be getting home…

She sighed and passed by her house, instead opting to take a relaxing walk.

Soon she found herself walking past Saibara's house and she passed through Jack's farm. The sounds of the livestock as they settled down for the night bringing a ghost of a smile to her lips.

But it was gone as quickly as it came as she passed the old woodcutter's hose and made her way towards Mother's Hill as the wind whipped her hair around her. The librarian took in deep breaths of the cool night air; the smell she loved so much…

The smell of nature.

She arrived at Mother's Peak quickly, and she gasped as she looked up at the stars.

The celestial candles were everywhere, making the pale shine of the full moon seem meager by comparison. This was definitely a moment she wanted to remember, she thought to herself as the sight cleansed her of the day's events.

In her awe towards the heavens' beauty, she had not noticed the man that sat unobtrusively, watching not the stars, but _her._

"Mary?" he asked, squinting his dark, midnight eyes to try and make out the figure that had intruded on his reflections.

The librarian jumped, eyes shooting to whom had spoken…

She gasped.

It was _him_.

Tim was still wearing his work clothes, Mary observed. He looked… calm… as he always did.

"It _is _you, Mary," Tim said emotionlessly, "What brings you to Mother's Peak so late? I thought that you must be dining with Gray by now…?"

Mary blushed and shook her head. "N-no…" she said sheepishly, pushing at her glasses nervously, "Gray and I a-are j-just friends…" Tim nodded in understanding; Mary frantically tried to continue the conversation, "I-I th-thought that y-you and Eli would be dining together…"

The doctor smiled wistfully. "No, Mary… Eli and I are just friends as well."

Mary's heart stopped beating for a second; skipped a beat.

Did she just hear him say that he and Eli were not involved?

Tim laughed heartily. "You look bewildered. Why don't you sit down, it must be cold…" he rose and took of his white lab coat, draping it over Mary's shoulders… just like a gentleman did.

Mary's mind was spinning, her vision swimming… was this real? Was it really reality and not another fantasy that she had thought up?

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Tim asked.

"P-pardon…?" Mary squeaked.

"The stars, I mean," Tim said, gesturing towards the heavens, "There are most definitely one of the Harvest Goddess' greatest achievements, don't you think?"

The Harvest Goddess handled affairs of just that; the harvest. There were other Gods and Goddesses that were supposed to handle such things… But before Mary could open her big mouth to correct him, she caught herself, not wanting to sound obnoxious.

_This is it, Mary! _A voice screamed at her inside her head, _your dreams! If you can just pull this off then you can have your fairytale ending!!!_

Mary swallowed hard and subdued her know-it-all self by sheer will alone.

But… what could she do to let Tim know the way she felt? She'd never gone out on a date, never kissed anyone… How could she, mousy Mary, tell _him_… no, _anyone _the way she felt.

Tim's stern voice broke her out of her thoughts and back to reality. "It's getting late, Mary," Tim said, the emotion he'd been showing before now gone as quickly as it had come, "We should get going…"

Tim began to walk down the mountain, leaving Mary alone. Without thinking, she cried: "Doctor!" Tim whirled around, looking alarmed.

It was then that it dawned on her…

Life wasn't a fairytale. Things just didn't come your way just because you deserved it. There was no karma, no real justice in the world… Life was what you made it, and up to now, Mary had made nothing out of her life.

As she looked into Tim's dark, alarmed eyes, she resolved to change that. Right here, right now.

"Mary?" Tim asked, looking concerned, "Are you alright?"

Mary nodded, and Tim sighed in relief. "Doctor…"

Tim looked at Mary. "Mary?"

"I-I know that… that I'm not a particularly… a-attractive woman," Tim's eyes widened, but Mary continued nonetheless, "And I know that Eli… Eli is perfect compared to me… B-but… I'm not… not the woman you think I am," it began to tumble out, all the pent up emotions; for the first time, Mary spoke, not Mary the librarian, Mary the loveless, just _Mary_, "I'm intelligent! And I do enjoy crying to a good book every now and then. And yes! Yes I love staying in on rainy days and eating chocolate ice cream! And guess what!? I don't care if I get fat! And I love nature and just _feeling _it! And above all I love writing! Writing about _everything!_

"But most of all… Most of all I enjoy it most on rainy, cold Wednesdays when you walk into the library. Not Gray, not Jack, not anyone else. Just _you_, Doctor," Mary clenched her fists, making eye contact with Tim for the first time that night, "I know… I know I'm not perfect… or pretty… but… choose me, Doctor. Choose me, love me. That's all I ask… I need you… need you to need me!"

Mary finished with a great exhale. Tim was shocked; frozen in place. Finally, after a few seconds, tears welled up in Mary's eyes and she stormed away. He had seen _her_… and he had not… felt anything.

But then soft hands grabbed hers, and she whirled around to face Tim, who was smiling at her. "D-doctor?" Mary stuttered.

Tim's smile widened. "Call me Tim," he said, smile widening even more into a beam, "And… Mary, I do choose you."

For the first time in her life, Mary was held by someone. For the first time in her life, Mary felt blissfully happy. For the first time in her life, Mary felt needed.

And in the end, that was what made her happiest as the heavens thundered in something Mary thought was congratulations, and then, her gift…

Rain began to fall… and unlike the first time he had walked out of the rain and into her library, this time they were in it together.

And nothing felt better than to just feel the rain on her skin beside the man that's he loved, Mary decided at that moment.

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Like it? Show your opinions by reviewing! You know I love it! Bye


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